Sharing the Word: Local churches offer Bible studies for people with developmental disabilities

Laughter and smiles filled the fellowship room in the basement at Grace Lutheran Church in Hutchinson during the Jesus Cares Ministry a week ago Monday.

It wasn’t hard to see why the room was filled with such warm emotions. Joan, Theresa and JoAnn, residents of an Aveyron home in Hutchinson, and their staff, Eileen, were pleased to see their friends Kathy Hanneman, Doug Hanneman, Ardis Tobison, Patty Lokensgard, Sherry Vik, Mark Rutz and the Rev. Greg Tobison.

This twice-monthly gathering provides a place to build friendships based on sharing the word of Jesus Christ. The Wisconsin Evangelical Lutheran Synod has been offering Bible classes for people with developmental disabilities since September 1985.Locally the program is offered at Grace Lutheran in Hutchinson and at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Glencoe.

Faith Lutheran Church in Hutchinson pioneered the first Bible study in the area for people with developmental disabilities more than 25 years ago. Known as Special Forum, Pat Krueger and Alice Poshek have taught the one-hour Sunday morning program together for the past five years.

To read the complete article, see the print edition of the Hutchinson Leader for Tuesday, Jan. 27, 2009.

Kay Johnson is a staff writer at the Leader. She can be reached at johnson@hutchinsonleader.com